KAMAL HAASAN WILL BE FELICITATED FOR ‘OUTSTANDING ACHIEVEMENT IN INDIAN CINEMA’
‘OUTSTANDING ACHIEVEMENT IN REGIONAL CINEMA’ FOR RITEISH DESHMUKH AND GENELIA D’SOUZA
DESIGNER MANISH MALHOTRA WILL BE HONOURED FOR ‘OUTSTANDING ACHIEVEMENT IN FASHION IN CINEMA’
After a fantastic presentation last year, anticipation are sky-high for the 2023 NEXA IIFA Awards and Sobha Reality presentation. IIFA Rocks will be back on Yas Island in Abu Dhabi on May 26 and 27. Several live performances by Bollywood's biggest names, including Salman Khan, Varun Dhawan, Kriti Sanon, Ayushmann Khurrana, Jacqueline Fernandez, Rakul Preet Singh, and Nora Fatehi, will take place over the next three days at the Etihad Arena, hosted by Abhishek Bachchan and Vicky Kaushal. Rappers Badshaah and Raftaar, lyricist-composer Amit Trivedi, EDM producer Nucleya, and vocalists Sunidhi Chauhan, Shreya Ghoshal, Anusha Mani, Mika, Sukhbir Singh, and Goldie Sohel will perform at IIFA Rocks, hosted by Farah Khan and Rajkummar Rao.
In addition to the music and dance performances, the winners of the nine technical award categories will be announced, and awards in 12 popular categories will be given out. Three extra special honours are also available.
Taghrid AlSaeed, Executive Director of Group Communications and Destination Marketing, Miral, also believes that the partnership with IIFA will strengthen the bonds between India, Abu Dhabi and the United Arab Emirates (UAE): “It will give a boost to trade, tourism and film production opportunities with Yas Island reinforcing its claim as the fast-growing global entertainment and leisure destination, as well as an international events hub.
His Excellency Saleh Mohamed Al-Geziry, Director General for Tourism at DCT, Abu Dhabi, points out that, “With an annual gala that is talked about in amazement and wonders for the rest of the year, IIFA has established its mark on the international arena. A galaxy of Bollywood stars will make a beeline for Yas Island next weekend because of IIFA's ability to promote the Indian film industry around the world. This provides us the chance, for the second year in a row, to honour the greatest in talent, glamour, and glamour while showcasing Abu Dhabi's thrilling nightlife, incredible cultural experiences, and restorative getaways to the world.
Kamal Haasan will be honoured for "Outstanding Achievement in Indian Cinema," while Riteish Deshmukh and Genelia D'Souza will be honoured for "Outstanding Achievement in Regional Cinema." Designer Manish Malhotra will also be recognised for 'Outstanding Achievement in Fashion in Cinema'. Kamal Haasan, 68, began his career as a child artist in the 1960 Tamil film Kalathur Kannamma, where he won the President's Gold Medal. In the 1982 Tamil film Moondram Pirai, which was adapted three years later in Hindi as Sadma, he received the first of his four National Awards for his role as a schoolteacher whose unselfish devotion to a young woman suffering from retrograde amnesia leaves him sad. He has distinguished himself as an actor, filmmaker, screenwriter, playback singer, and TV host over the years, working not just in Tamil, Telugu, Kannada, and Malayalam films, but also in Hindi and Bengali. Kamal Haasan is a living legend in Indian film, having received both the Padma Shri and the Padma Bhushan.
Reacting to the honour, Kamal Haasan informs that he has enjoyed a decade-long relationship with IIFA. “I made my debut appearance in Singapore in 2012 when I unveiled the first look of my film, Vishwaroopam. That was pretty special. So, at this one, I will be walking the Green Carpet at Abu Dhabi, humbled by an honour that speaks of the overwhelming love of my audience which urges me to keep making films.”
Riteish Deshmukh launched his acting career with the 2003 love movie Tujhe Meri Kasam. Genelia was his leading lady, and they went on to work together on Masti and Tere Naal Love Ho Gaya before marrying on February 3, 2012. A year later, Riteish founded his own production company, Mumbai Film Company, with the award-winning comedy-drama Balak Palak. Riteish made his Marathi film debut as an actor in 2014, playing a double part in Lai Bhaari. Genelia made a cameo role in the action-drama, which she also co-produced. The picture was a box office success. Faster Fene was released three years later. Amey Wagh plays the titular character, which was created by Bhaskar Ramchandra Bhagwat and a favourite with children, the crime thriller enjoyed a successful run.
In 2018, Genelia released Mauli, which featured Riteish in a double role as identical brothers with the same name. He made a cameo appearance in Adrushya two years later, and in 2022, Genelia created Ved, a romantic drama that reunited them on screen, with Riteish playing her spouse. Riteish wrote the script and directed it for the first time. It was the highest-earning Marathi film of the year, as well as the third-highest grossing Marathi film of all time, topping his own Lai Bhaari. Elated with the IIFA special award, Riteish says, “Since I am a Maharashtrian and my roots run deep, I have always wanted to not just act, produce and direct Marathi films, but also push the envelope with respect to content and technical virtuosity. This honour proves that I’ve been successful in my experiments and endeavours to extend the boundaries, as far as Marathi cinema is concerned. I’m grateful to my baiko, Genelia, without whose support this journey would not have been possible.” An upbeat Genelia adds, “Riteish has been a part of my film journey since day one. So, it feels great to go up on stage and receive an award that is both a validation and a celebration for us. IIFA, here we come again!”
Fashion designer Manish Malhotra has been an integral part of the Hindi film industry for 33 years. He introduced the concept of styling in costume design in Ram Gopal Varma’s 1995 musical romance, Rangeela, and since then, has flagged off many new trends, both on-screen and off it. In 2005, the stylist-entrepreneur launched his eponymous label, Manish Malhotra, and today has three flagship stores in Mumbai, Delhi, and Hyderabad. His first international boutique is coming up at the Dubai Mall this year. Manish has also expanded into verticals, like jewellery, and even has his own beauty line. One of the key highlights this year is a fashion show at Sobha Realty IIFA Rocks with Manish showcasing an exclusive “old world charm meets the new world” collection. Recalling his first appearance at IIFA in 2001, when he received the Best Costume Award for Mohabbatein, Manish says, “The special honour this year shows just how far I have come. A lot has changed since, what hasn’t is the love of the audience which even after three decades continues to drive me to revolutionize and redefine fashion in films.”
Sobha IIFA Weekend and NEXA Awards is partnered by Miral and the Department of Culture and Tourism – Abu Dhabi (DCT Abu Dhabi. NEXA continues as the title sponsor for the seventh consecutive edition and this year they are joined for the first time by Sobha Realty as the title sponsor of the IIFA Weekend.
Shashank Srivastava, Senior Executive Officer, Marketing and Sales, Maruti Suzuki India Limited said, “NEXA has always been at the forefront of innovations and Curating Impeccable Experiences that not only Impress but Inspire. By foraying into the fields of Fashion, Music and Journeys, NEXA has successfully created and inspired multiple unique experiences for its customers. It is for this very reason that NEXA has collaborated with IIFA, which is a platform to recognize India’s top creative talent in the world of cinema and celebrate the best in cinema arts. The association is in its 7th year and both NEXA and IIFA are challenging the status quo to create experiences that are unique and inspiring. With IIFA, we have a perfect association as we share a common vision of creating global experiences, which has established the premium imagery of both brands. We look forward to IIFA 2023 which will be held at Yas Island in Abu Dhabi to inspire our new-age consumers who seek global experiences in their everyday lives."
Echoing his sentiments, Ravi Menon, Co-Chairman of Sobha Realty, reiterates, “We are delighted to be the title sponsors of the 23rd edition of IIFA Weekend. The event will witness the presence of the who’s who of the Indian film industry with the glitz and glamour that makes Indian cinema widely popular. With a rich culture of performing arts in our nation itself, we are honoured to recognize and celebrate the long-standing allure of Indian cinema and its outstanding contributors. Indian films are watched across the world, and we are pleased to welcome the numerous actors, artists, and talents of our nation, further bringing Indian cinema to a global audience. IIFA Awards recognizes the highest quality and artistic expressions in the Indian film sector, just like we at Sobha Realty recognize the value of quality, art, and design in our work.”